In English-speaking countries, referring to a woman, it is customary to add "miss" or "Mrs" to her name. But it is important to know in what cases this or that word is used, so as not to get into an awkward situation.
In English, as in many other European languages, there are special forms of treatment adopted in relation to a woman. Moreover, until recently, there was a very clear distinction between how one should address a young or not too young, but unmarried girl and a married lady.
Message "miss"
The appeal "miss" is usually used in relation to girls who have not yet married. Linguistic researchers believe that this form appeared in the 17th century. Interestingly, it is customary to refer to female school teachers as “miss”, regardless of their marital status. This tradition has survived since the days when only unmarried girls had the right to get a job.
Calling "Mrs."
Not so long ago, it was customary to refer to a married woman as "mistress", adding her husband's first and last name, for example, "Mistress Thomas Brand." Then the word "mistress" was changed to the address "Mrs.", but the married lady was also called by the name of her husband "Mrs. Thomas Brand", and only much later women, being married, received the "right" to keep their name with the official name: "Mrs. Helen Brand ".
Having become a widow, a woman continues to be named by her husband's surname and it is customary to use the word "Mrs" in addressing her. If a lady is divorced, then at will she can be introduced as "Mrs. Brand" (by the name of her husband) or be called "Miss" and give her maiden name.
New form of address "miz"
But society is changing, etiquette and language are changing along with it. Recently, in English-speaking countries, the appeal "miz" is gaining more and more popularity. This form of address is neutral, corresponds to the Russian "mistress" and is used both in relation to married and unmarried women. The initiators of the introduction of this appeal were feminists of the 50s. They believed that this would allow a woman to equalize with a man in her social status. Since the 70s of the last century, such an appeal has been accepted in society as an official one. In business circles, it is already firmly established in use. Yes, and in everyday life, more and more often a woman is addressed as “mis” until she herself wants to emphasize her matrimonial status by asking her to address her as “miss” or “miss”.
By the way, in the French language, the well-known appeal to unmarried girls "mademoiselle" has already been officially withdrawn from use. Now a French woman of any age and marital status is usually called only "Madame". Who knows, maybe soon the English words "miss" and "Mrs" will be outdated and go out of common use?
